


The Magicians Curse

by WitchJanus_Rights



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Bullying, Burning, Child Abuse, Death, Explosions, Fear, Fire, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Magic, Major character death - Freeform, Pain, Panic Attacks, Religious References, Seriously this gets dark, Trauma, Witch Hunts, cursing, harrisons parents suck, i wrote this like- 8 months ago, inspired by a Paranorman AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27607637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WitchJanus_Rights/pseuds/WitchJanus_Rights
Summary: It’s a normal day at Camp Campbell and Harrison is just trying to put on a good magic show. Something  goes wrong and The camp ends up in a uproar. Harrison finds himself in the middle of a witch hunt.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a old piece of writing but, i thought I’d put it up anyway. I wrote this in like two days back in February, haha.

“Ladies and gentlemen prepare yourselves to be amazed” Harrison said, appearing on the stage. A dove flying out of his palm. His audience watched amazed. Well most of his audience. We could see Neils skeptical glare from the back row, sitting next to Nikki, who was grinning.   
“Tonight, I have prepared a very special trick, now If I could get a volunteer from the audience-“ Nikki was already up and waving her hand. Except- she was waving Neils hand. All the campers looked back. Neil looked embarrassed as Nikki screamed “Pick him! Pick him!”   
“Uh, Neil, come on up” Harrison said, unsure. Nikki dragged Neil out of his seat and up onto the stage, then ran back to her seat. Neil looked flustered. Harrison cleared his throat.   
“Tonight’s trick will be an unexplainable feat, even by the greatest minds in science.” Harrison said, grinning.   
“Just get it over with” Neil muttered.   
“First you need to lay down on the stage.”   
“Wha-“   
“DO IT COWARD!” Nikki yelled from the front. Max rolled his eyes. Neil laid down on the stage at the front.   
“Now I will make my assistant levitate.”   
He concentrated on Neil, and slowly raised his hands. Slowly, but surely, Neil's body was lifted into the air. There was a collective gasp from the campers. Nikki and SpaceKid were clapping. Harrison rotated his hands, making Neil spin. More applause. There was no way this could go wrong. This was fine.   
“Put me down!” Neil cried. Harrison meant to oblige, and prepared to lower him.   
“Put me the f*ck down Harrison!”   
“You need to stay calm-“ Harrison began to say, before suddenly his hands burst into flames. Ok- that that wasn’t supposed to happen.   
“Are you gonna put him down or not?” Nurf said.   
“Uh-“   
“F*ck” Neil dropped to the ground, slamming back onto the hard wooden stage.   
There was a murmur. Harrison backed up, suddenly feeling claustrophobic.   
“Uh- that, wasn’t supposed to-“ He began to say, just as Neil jumped to his feet and pointed at him.   
“Crap you and your magic, that wasn’t funny!” He yelled.   
“I- Neil that wasn’t supposed to-“   
“No- shu-“ Neil froze, he suddenly started throwing up handkerchiefs and other objects. Why is this happening?   
“What the hell did you do to him?” Max yelled.   
“I…”   
They were all mad. Scared. Even David and Gwen looked like they didn’t know what to do. That’s when Gwen ran over and grabbed Neil off the stage. Harrison fell behind the stage curtain. Wanting to hide from her glaring look. He could hear some of them yelling. He couldn’t do this. He had to get out of here. He tried to pull himself together, and teleported away. 

“The mother effer attacked Neil” Max said, glaring up at David. Neil had already been taken away, and half the other campers were in their tents. Except Nikki and Max.   
“Max, I’m sure it was a accident-“   
“Yeah, Harrison’s not mean like that” Nikki said.   
“Why don’t both of you just go back to your tents” David suggested.   
“Why? Scared we’re gonna witch hunt him”   
“Ooh, what’s a witch hunt?” Nikki asked.   
“Guys stop-“   
“Did someone say witch-hunt?” They heard Nurf say.   
“No one is witch hunting anyone. This isn’t the 17th century.”   
“But I already got the pitchfork…” Nurf argued.   
David looked like he was about to lose it. They had a missing camper, and Max had to start talking about witch hunting.   
“All of you back to your tents-“   
“Fine, come on Nikki.” Max muttered and turned to start walking away. Nikki followed. When they were away from David she asked “are you still mad?”   
“Well I mean it isn’t the first time he attacked someone like that.”   
“Yeah but, I think they were accidents both times. He’d been practicing that trick for weeks.”   
“Whatever, not like I care, Neil will be better by tomorrow.” Max shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets.   
That’s when they came to the tents, everyone was standing around.   
“I say we put him on trial,” said Nurf.   
“Isn’t that a little extreme?” Preston said.   
“I dunno Preston, are we sure you aren’t a witch also?”   
“What the hell is going on here?” Max asked.   
“We’re dealing with this the only way we can, because most of us aren’t emotionally mature. We’re gonna witch hunt Harrison” Nurf explained.   
“Idiots-“ Max said facepalming.   
“So, where do you two stand?”   
“What?”   
“You're either with us, or against us. SpaceKid and Preston have already chosen treason, and therefore will be put on trial with the accused.”   
“Are you f*cking insane?!” Cried Max.   
“Nerris?” Nikki asked.   
“I don’t pick sides” Nerris said, crossing her arms.   
“Then you too will be trialed” Nurf said, pointing the pitchfork at the elven girl.   
“Ok ok, I- I side with you” Nerris said quickly.   
“So, where do you stand?” Nurf asked again.   
“I could care less either way. This whole thing is stupid” Max said.   
“But you just-“ Nikki began to point out when Dolph cut her off.   
“You must choose!” He said loudly.   
“This is messed up on multiple levels.”   
“Choose, Max. Or else” Nurf said.   
“Is that a threat?”   
“Max…” Nikki said, tugging on his sleeve.   
“Please don't tell me the rest of you have this messed up idea” Max said, looking at the others.   
“That was super uncool,” Ered said.   
“Ze’ witch must pay for treason” Dolph said, hitting his fists together.   
“I thought you liked Harrison’s magic?” Preston asked the small German child.   
“Yes but-“   
“Don’t listen to the traitor Dolph!” Nurf growled.   
“I’m sure Neil would agree” SpaceKid said.   
“Traitors don’t get to talk.”   
That’s when David came over.   
“Do any of you know where Harrison would go?” David asked.   
“Please, he can’t have gone far,” Max said.   
“You don’t know Harrison, do you,” Said Nerris.   
“What? You're saying he teleported away?”   
“He is a witch after all,” Nurf added.   
“Kids, I don’t like all this witch hunt talk. Nurf put down the pitchfork and the lighter.”   
“You can’t tell me what to do.” Nurf flipped the lighter open.   
“I mean it. This is serious, we have a missing camper.”   
“Harrison’s not missing, he probably just decided to make himself not be found.”   
“Nerris, this is important, do you know where Harrison would go?” David asked, his voice wavering slightly.   
Nerris shrugged  
“I don’t know, he’s Harrison. No one can find him if he doesn’t want them to. Believe me, I’ve tried hunting him down so many times.”   
“Are you guys friends or not?” Nikki asked.   
“Guys we’re getting off topic- Nurf give me the pitchfork.”   
“Fine.” Nurf said, and handed it to David, point first.   
David cringed as it poked his hand, but grabbed it and threw it.   
“I know you’re all upset and confused on what happened, but we’re all gonna have to work together to-“   
“I already built a pyre,” Nurf said, cutting in.   
“What?!” Cried David. Nuff pointed to a small wooden structure he had stolen from theatre camp.   
“Why?!”   
“Well I mean we’re hunting him down for a reason-“   
“No one is being put on trial!”   
“Everyone split into pairs and started searching, SpaceKid your with me” David said.   
And so everyone split into pairs and Wandered off to start looking.   
“What’s with Nurf and murder?” 

Burn the witch! Burn the witch! Harrison ran through the trees. Heart racing, tears In his eyes. What had he done? How had that happened? They seemed scared and mad. He stopped trying to catch his breath. His hands were sweating and his legs were shaking. He sat down on the forest floor and put his head in his hands. God why. Why him? Why did he have to keep hurting people? Bring your brother back, Harrison! First his brother… then Max…David… Neil, everyone. His parents were terrified of him. The other campers were mad at him now. Sure he had always felt like the black sheep, but now… now he was an outcast. He hadn’t meant to hurt Neil. It just happened.   
He couldn’t control it sometimes, stuff just happened. No correction- he couldn’t control it most of the time. Whether it be the most simple trick, or a complicated one. Why did he have to do that one? He had been mostly avoiding performing magic on humans since… since his brother had disappeared. But he had been practicing on animals for weeks, he had been so sure it would go fine. Maybe his parents were right. Maybe he was evil. Anticrist, devil child, monster, demon spawn. He’d been called them all many times. His parents had always been extremely religious, and so had many of the neighbors. He could remember on more than one occasion of being dragged to church to hear a sermon on witchcraft. It’s not like he ever wanted to hurt anyone. A sob escaped him as the chant got louder in his head. Kill the witch Kill the witch kill the witch kill the witch!...   
Finally, after who knows how long, he heard a noise. A twig cracked and he heard voices in the distance.   
“Witch-hunt! Witch-hunt!” No! They were hunting for him. They were coming for him. Harrison scrambled to his feet and froze as he heard a twig crack. This time closer.   
“Harrison?” He heard a voice call. Was that...Max? Why the f*ck Would Max look for him? Was he also part of the witch-hunt. No, That wasn’t Max’s style.   
“Harrison, come out already, idiot” Max kicked a rock and muttered something. Harrison then realized Max couldn’t see him, since he was invisible. Why did max even care? He was a freak. Why would anyone care?   
Max started to walk away when suddenly Harrison said “I’m here.”   
Max stopped and looked around, confused. Harrison took a step, making sure to step on some leaves. Max snapped his head towards the sound.   
“Where are you?”   
“Here, but invisible.”   
“Well can you turn uninvisible? Everyone at camp is freaking out. Nurfs leading a witch-hunt.”   
Harrison cringed at the word.   
“Or you can keep hiding, your decision. Not my problem” Max said.   
“I… I’m sorry.”   
“What?”   
“I didn’t mean to hurt Neil, I swear.”   
“Yeah? Well congratulations now half the camp wants to tie you up on a Pyre and-“  
“Stop!” Harrison cried suddenly. Max froze as Harrison flickered in and out of sight.   
“Whoa, are you okay?”   
Harrison was silent. He tried to wipe his tears away with his gloved hand. Max could now see how terrified and upset he looked. The magician's top hat seemed to droop. His yellow gecko-ish eyes were filled with tears, and he was shaking.   
“I can’t go back…”  
“Why? It’s just Nurf, he’s a stupid jerk-“  
“They’re really gonna put me on trial.”   
“What the f*ck? They’re just being stupid-“   
“They’re gonna f*cking witch trial me!” Harrison cried. Max took a step away.   
“Calm down, no-“   
Harrison dropped to his knees, crying. Max stood there awkwardly and unsure what to do or say.   
“Hey… you?” Max was trying to think. God why couldn’t David or Nikki find him? Max was the worst at comforting people. Especially when they were this emotionally distraught. He had never seen someone like that before.   
“Um… hey it’ll be okay” sh*t I sound like David Max thought.   
“Look I didn’t mean to frighten you. They’re just kids…” why him? Max was silent.   
“My parents…”   
“What?” Max asked, confused. His parents? Those scared looking Christian people from parents day?   
“They… they said that’s what happened to people like me.”   
“They wanted to f*cking kill you?”   
Silence. Max took that as a yes.   
“What the f*ck? What kind of sh*tty person would want to put their kid on trial?...”   
“What?...” Harrison looked up at Max, wiping his eyes.   
“I mean I didn’t pay much attention, but they seemed weird. But to want to f*cking burn you like it’s the seventeenth century?”   
“...”  
“What the f*ck! Those pieces of crap sound as bad as mine.”   
In the distance the chanting got louder. “Witch-hunt! Witch-hunt!” Sure they were just kids, and to them they were messing around. But to Harrison, it was very real.   
“......”   
Just then Nurf, and Dolph burst out of the trees. Nurf had Preston tied up.   
“There!” Nurf yelled.   
“Dude! Stop,” Max said.   
“Oh, I see you’ve joined up with the witch.”   
“Nurf…” Preston said.   
“I see, looks like we’ll need another pyre.”   
“Seriously Nurf, this isn’t funny. Can’t you see he’s f*cking upset?”   
“To be honest Max, I never expected you to befriend the enemy.”   
“He’s not the enemy. He’s just Harrison, who made a mistake and now you all want to f*cking burn him to a Crisp!”  
“Well…”   
“Max what-“ Harrison started to say. Confused as to why Max was standing up for him.   
“No. Just everyone f*cking stop. This has been an awful day, and I’m pretty sure you’ve just given him PTSD.”   
“Ze witch…”  
“And it’s really messed up Dolph got involved in all this burning crap.”   
“Oh…” Preston said.   
“He attacked Neil, and I already built the-“ just then Nikki ran out of the bushes.   
“I found Harrison!” She yelled.   
“Shut it Nikki,” Max said.   
“Dang… oh no the hunters found him first.”   
“Shut up.” Max warned her.   
Harrison slowly got to his feet.   
“Thanks Max,” he said, then looked to Nurf and the others.   
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I understand why you're all mad at me though.”   
“So you plead guilty?” Nurf asked.   
“I think you hit a sore spot, Nurf” Preston said.   
Harrison took a step back. They had never seen him like this before.   
“I think ze Joke has gone too far.” Dolph said quietly.   
“Whoa, I didn’t think he was this scared.” Nurf said.   
“Seriously?”   
“I… I'm just a bully okay? Psychological torture is one of my expertise.”   
“Yeah well I think it went too far this time.” Max said dryly.   
“Wow… I’m actually really sorry.”   
“Where’d Harrison go?” Nikki asked.   
They all looked to see Harrison flicker in and out of sight.   
“Please don’t hurt me…” he said quietly, his hands shielding his face.   
They were all silent.   
“Wow, he’s really messed up psychologically.” Nurf said.   
“Ya think?”   
“We’re all very sorry, Harrison.” Preston said, trying to look at his friend. The flickering stopped and Harrison stood there once again. Looking at the ground.   
It was then they heard David nearby. They all were quiet as David ran over.   
“Thank goodness! Why haven’t you kids come back to camp?”   
“I’m gonna go steal a psych book from Gwen.” Nurf said, pushing Preston, still tied up to the ground and walking away.   
“What the… what happened?” David asked.   
“We all messed up.” 

David led them all back to camp, where they found Nerris and SpaceKid destroying the pyre. Neil was also out there, confused about what had happened. Gwen then ran out of the councilors cabin yelling at Nurf, who as promised, stole a psych book.   
The pitchforks were locked in the quartermaster store (he had admitted to actually joining a witch-hunt in the late 70’s)   
All the campers apologized to Harrison, who had refused to come back until the pyres were gone. The day was never spoken of again. Neil was still salty, even after he had stopped throwing up rabbits. But the mention of witch burning was avoided at all costs. Sadly, that wouldn’t be the last of it…. because for Harrison, it was a constant threat.


	2. Camp Campbell's Curse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The summer after the incident leaves many questions. Camp Campbell will never be the same. prepare for major angst. I regret nothing. I wrote this in like 3 hours months ago. its long, but, I like it and hope you do too.

“Welcome back campers!” David said loudly, smiling. It was the next summer at camp. Max, who had been adopted by David after his parents hadn’t shown up the previous summer, had had no choice but to come along. On the bright side, there were no new kids. Nikki and Neil and everyone else had decided to come back.  
“Looks like everyone’s here. I’m so glad you all decided to come back after such a fun summer last year!”  
“Yep…” Max muttered.  
“Our first activity will be-“  
“Not all of us are here though” SpaceKid said.  
“What do you mean?” David asked, looking through his papers.  
“Yeah where’s Harrison at?” Nerris asked, she sounded disappointed, but looked a little concerned.  
“He um… to be Honest kids, I can’t find his paperwork. I don’t think he’s coming.” David admitted.  
“Oh…”  
“He ditched us?” Nikki asked.  
“He probably went to a real magic camp” Nerris said, not sounding convinced.  
“Please, a real magic camp? There’s no such thing” Neil said.  
“How do you know?” She challenged him.  
“Because, magic isn’t real-“  
“Do you not remember anything that happened last summer?” Nikki asked.  
“Yeah, like the time Harrison summoned white tigers?” SpaceKid said.  
“Or when he set David on fire” Max said, snickering.  
“Or when he made Ereds bad grades disappear-“  
“Okay! I get it. So what? Even if magic is real, I highly doubt there’s a camp like that.”  
“True…”  
“Alright kiddos, today's we’re going to go on a hike.”  
All the campers groaned.  
“And no funny sh*t” Gwen added.  
And so David and Gwen led all the campers off into the forest. It was a peaceful hike for sure. Most of the campers had seemed to have forgotten about their missing friend. 

“Maybe we could go kidnap him and force him to come to camp” Nikki suggested. She was hanging from a tree branch by her hands. Using her legs to swing back and forth.  
“We don’t even know where he lives. And honestly it’s not like he’s missing much” Max said.  
“But it’s not the same,” Nikki said.  
“Tell me Nikki, how many times did any of us actually hang out with him?”  
“Yeah Nikki, best to let it go” Neil said.  
“What are you guys talking about?” Nerris asked.  
“I suggested we should kidnap Harrison,” Nikki said proudly.  
“I like that idea.”  
“Jesus, just because he’s not here, doesn’t mean he’s ditched or-“  
“What if something bad happened?” Nerris said suddenly.  
“What? What could’ve happened to prevent him from coming to camp?” Nikki asked.  
“Have you guys considered maybe he didn’t want to come?” Neil asked.  
“Why wouldn’t he want to come?” Nerris Asked.  
“Why are you guys so f*cking concerned?” Max asked.  
“Don’t you think it’s weird he’s the only one not to show up?” Nikki asked.  
“No, I mean I probably wouldn’t have shown up except for David. I mean, his parents are pretty messed up.”  
“That’s what I'm afraid of…” Nerris said. 

That night they all sat around the campfire. David and Gwen on a log, with the campers in a half circle around the fire. They were once again listening to David’s lame attempt to tell a scary story.  
“And that is why you should always-“  
“Enough of the crap, David. We want to hear a real story” Max said, cutting David off.  
“Oh! What if the QuarterMaster tells a story?” Nikki asked excitedly, pointing to the old man with a hook hand.  
“Oh, I don’t know…” David began to say.  
“You youngins want a scary story? Ever hear how these campgrounds are haunted?”  
“Psh your joking right?” Said Neil.  
“It was after the Great War, Sleepy Peak has always been a small, non committed town. And most folks could care less about a witch. One night as a youngin-“  
“How old are you?” Neil Asked.  
“That is not to be disclosed information.”  
“I was minding my own business, and taking a nice evening stroll, when I saw a bright light in the distance. I crept closer and saw they had one Witch on the pyre-“  
“QuarterMaster, I really don’t think-“ David began to say but Gwen kicked him.  
“One on the pyre, all covered in flames, screaming she would come back one day- and kill her persecutors. To this day they say you can still hear her screaming on a calm night.” The QuarterMaster finished.  
All the kids sat there, looks of horror upon some of their faces.  
“Sh*t” muttered Nurf.  
“Okay...I think storytime is over…” David said.  
“Uh, QuarterMaster, you are making this up, right?” Gwen Asked.  
“‘Course not. What’s the point in doing that?”  
There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes.  
“You know what? I think it’s time for you all to go to bed” Gwen said.  
“But it’s not that late” Spacekid argues.  
“Bedtime- now.” Gwen said.  
They all wondered off to their tents grumbling. 

Nerris lay in bed, staring at the ceiling thinking.  
“Hey Nikki?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Do you think Harrison's okay?” Nerris Asked.  
“What do you mean?”  
“I mean...he said he’d try to write to me but…”  
“Does he not have a computer or anything?” Nikki asked, confused.  
“He said he couldn’t use the home phone, and that the computer was off limits for him. His only way of communication was his pigeon.”  
“Oh… are you worried?”  
“I mean- he’s like the only one we haven’t seen or heard from outside of camp.” (Nikki had moved in with Nerris a few months after camp. It happened that Nerris had lived in the neighborhood over from Nikki’s, which was where Max and Neil lived)  
“True. Hey, did he ever talk about his parents?”  
“Not really. He’d sometimes make a comment or say something, but then he’d kinda get sad.”  
“Oh…I'm gonna go to sleep.” Nikki said.  
“Okay, goodnight.” 

“Do you think we should’ve stopped the QuarterMaster from telling that story?” David Asked.  
“If you’re talking about the incident last summer of Nurf trying to restart the witch trials- maybe.” Gwen said, not taking her eyes off her phone.  
David sighed.  
“Have you managed to contact them?” David asked. Meaning he and Gwen had tried unsuccessfully to call Harrison’s parents. They still had the records from last summer.  
“Nope. Keep getting a robotic answer, meaning they switched numbers.”  
“Oh…”  
“Look, I don’t like it either. But there’s really nothing we can do.”  
“I don’t know Gwen, just...something’s bothering me.”  
“Maybe you're just reading too much into this. Maybe everything’s fine…”  
“Maybe...but you heard what he said last summer.”  
“Yeah...But again, we have no evidence, and we can’t get in contact.”  
“Yeah…”  
“Hey I’m heading to bed.”  
“Ok, Goodnight Gwen.”  
Gwen got up and went into her bedroom. David day there staring at the box of records on the table in front of him. Maybe he was reading into this too much. Maybe there was nothing to worry about. David slowly put all the papers away and got ready for bed. There was nothing wrong. That’s what he had to keep telling himself. 

Max awoke to the sound of screaming. The sound of pure agony. He looked around the tent to find Neil was also awake, looking confused.  
“What the f*ck was that?” Max asked.  
“I don’t know. Maybe it was one of the other campers” Neil suggested. Max considered forgetting about it and going back to bed, but then Nikki ran in.  
“Did you guys hear that?” She asked excitedly.  
“The sound of someone screaming bloody murder?”  
“Yeah!”  
Neil sighed as he climbed out of his bed. The trio walked out of the tent to find all the campers standing around.  
“Do you think it’s the witch?” Asked Spacekid.  
“Well it couldn’t be any of us” Nerris said.  
“Maybe it was Gwen or David” Nikki suggested.  
“What? You think QuarterMaster is murdering them?” Said Max.  
“No. I just said it could have been one of them who screamed.”  
“Yeah...I highly doubt that,” Neil said.  
“It sounded kinda familiar…” Nerris said.  
“Maybe that story was true” said Preston.  
“Or maybe it’s the Wood Scouts messing around” Max said, too tired to really care.  
“No…”  
“Look, you guys can go hunting for a dead witch but I’m going back to bed.”  
“Maxxxx, come on” whined Nikki.  
“Ooh, are you scared?” Challenged Nurf.  
“No, I’m just saying you’re all acting really-“  
“Why does it smell like something just died?” Nikki Asked, cutting Max off.  
She was right, it smelled like something had died.  
“Oh jeez, isn’t this how every horror movie starts?” Said Neil.  
Just then there was a crackle of thunder, and suddenly the campfire in the middle of the clearing burst into flames. Everyone took a step back.  
“Hey, why is the sky getting darker?” Asked Preston.  
“Alright I’m done with this sh*t, there’s no ghost witch. The only ghost here is on the island. Let’s just all go back to bed-“  
There was another scream. The flames rose.  
“You were saying,” Nerris said, lamely.  
“We come in peace!” Nikki called out.  
“I don’t think the ghost wants to talk” yelled Spacekid.  
“There’s no ghost!”  
“Shut up Max!”  
There was another crack of thunder and lightning streamed across the sky.  
They all screamed and took off running towards the councilors cabin. Neil and Preston were banging on the door, while Nikki yelled. Nurf finally picked up Preston and used him as a door ram.  
“What?-“ David began to ask as the door fell down.  
“What the hell is going on?!” Yelled Gwen as she ran out of her room.  
“The apocalypse is here!” Nikki yelled.  
“We’re living a f*cking horror movie!” Cried Neil panicking. Gwen stepped outside and looked at the sky.  
“What. The. F*ck.”  
The sky had turned a dark red color.  
And that’s when other Magic Camp burst into flames.  
“My castle!” Nerris screamed and ran towards the activity field. Nikki and Preston chased after her.  
“Oh god. What-“  
Science camp burst into flames.  
“F*CK !” Yelled Neil and started to run. Max chased after him.  
“Neil what the f*ck?” He called after his friend.  
“Max, Neil!” David called, running after the campers.  
BANG! They were all thrown back as Other Magic Camp and Science Camp exploded.  
There was smoke and fire everywhere.  
“Nikki!” Neil yelled. He, Max and David had been thrown to the ground. Pieces of shrapnel hitting them. What used to be the roof of Science Camp now covered Neil.  
Max slowly and uneasily got to his feet. David had been hit in the head with something and knocked unconscious.  
“Max, help me!” Neil Cried. Max went over and helped Neil up.  
“Come on- we gotta go help Nikki,” he said coughing.  
“I can’t f*cking see anything!” Max yelled. Neil was coughing while trying to cover his nose with his shirt.  
“My asthma,”  
F*CK!  
There was that scream again, and another explosion. Neil and Max were thrown back.  
“Max…”  
they managed to get up again.  
“We have to get out of here!” Max yelled over all the noise.  
“What about David? Neil Asked, coughing.  
“Help me drag him away from the flames!”  
The two boys picked up the unconscious councilor and pulled him a few feet away. Neil was still coughing a lot.  
“Go get help, I’m going to find Nikki” Max said.  
“What?!” Cried Neil. “Max you can’t go in alone!”  
But it was too late, Max was already running towards where the explosion had taken place.  
F*ck.

“Nikki?! Nerris!....” Max yelled. There was so much smoke he could barely see. Other Magic Camp was dead. Oh god. What if they had been caught in the explosion?  
“NIKKI!” Max kept running through the smoke. He started to cough, and dropped down to his knees. Crawling would be going much slower, but it was the only way with all this smoke. Then he heard a yell.  
“Help!” That was Nerris. Max jumped up and ran towards the sound. Nerris was crushed under flaming debris from what used to be her castle. Nikki and Preston were trying to pull her out.  
“We gotta get out of here.” Max said.  
“Help is get Nerris out!” Nikki said.  
“It’s on fire Nikki there’s no way-“  
BANG! another explosion.  
Nerris had one of her arms out, and they were all tugging on it as best as they could. Max and Nikki tried lifting the debris, while Preston pulled Nerris out. It didn’t work the first time. But eventually they got her out.  
“Okay, we seriously have to-“  
“I don’t think I can’t walk…”  
“Preston you have to carry Nerris back.” Max said.  
“Prestons weak!” Nikki said, and grabbed Nerris, and slung her over her back.  
“Race you back!” Nikki yelled and ran off.  
Max and Preston started running after her. Out of the smoke and flames. They were both coughing when they got out.  
“Oh god, my outfit…”  
“We almost just died you f*cking idiot!” Cried Max.  
They were only feet away from the councilors cabin, when Max saw another problem.  
“Where the f*ck did the zombies come from?!”

F*ck f*ck f*ck. Gwen had seen a lot in her days working at this sh*tty camp. But had she ever expected it’d be the f*cking zombie apocalypse? No. They were all in the councilors cabin. Everyone besides Max, Nerris, Nikki and Preston. Neil had returned not too long ago, dragging an unconscious David. That’s when the zombies had shown up.  
“Why the f*ck are there zombies?!” Cried Neil, clearly having an existential crisis.  
“It is ze end of ze world.” Said Dolph.  
“We’re all gonna die!” SpaceKid cried.  
“No one is gonna f*cking die!” Gwen said forcefully.  
“What about Max and Nikki?” Neil asked, nervously.  
“Preston is also still out there,” Dolph added.  
Well they had already built a blockade.  
“They’ll be fine, they have Nikki-“ just then a window broke and Nikki jumped into the cabin, carrying Nerris.  
“What the f*ck? Nikki!” Yelled Gwen.  
“Hi Gwen! I got Nerris, and I killed a zombie!”  
“...”  
“Cool!” Said SpaceKid.  
“Oh god, someone help me block the window.”  
They scrambled to block the window as best they could, which wasn’t much.  
“Where’s Max and Preston?” Gwen asked Nikki.  
“They’re still out there, I just grabbed Nerris and ran, cuz I think her leg is broken.”  
“Oh god…”  
They then heard a banging at the blockade. They all froze. Surprisingly quite a few people had been buried near the or around the campgrounds. What the f*ck happened? 

“Take that you f*cking corpse!” Max yelled as he threw a rock at a zombie's head.  
“I don’t think a rock will do much!” Preston yelled.  
“Yeah? Well we don’t really have any- F*CK!” The zombie he had hit was advancing on him, faster.  
Both the boys started running towards the councilors cabin.  
“Open up!” Max yelled as they neared. The front door was surrounded. They ran around to one of the back windows, and smashed one, and jumped through.  
“Max!” Nikki cried.  
“When did the zombies show up?” Max asked, out of breath.  
“Not long ago.”  
“Does anyone know what the f*ck is going on?”  
“It’s obviously the end of the world” Nikki said nonchalantly.  
“F*ck stop it.” Gwen said.  
“There has to be a reason why this is all happening” Nerris said.  
“And what could that possibly be?” Neil asked mockingly.  
“Well, it could be that witch’s curse.”  
“You think the camp was cursed?”  
“I mean… it makes sense”  
“But if the witch has been dead for years, why would the curse only start now?” Nikki asked.  
“Preston… what’s the only Camp that’s not on fire?...” Asked Nerris, as if she already knew the answer.  
“I couldn’t see much through the smoke, but as far as I could tell it was Magic Camp.”  
“Harrison’s camp….”  
“I don’t understand what you’re getting,” Max snapped. He was tired, and wanted to go back to sleep. But now they were in the f*cking apocalypse.  
“Just because that’s the only one not on fire doesn’t mean anything.”  
“Are you trying to say that Harrison cursed the camp?” Asked Neil, In disbelief.  
“....”  
“Wait- but…he couldn’t have… wouldn’t have…”  
“Unless he’s dead…” Max said, suddenly realizing something.  
They wanted to f*cking kill you?!  
“Oh f*ck…”  
“What?”  
“Last summer he said… he said he thought they were gonna witch trial him…”  
“F*ck….” Nerris said very quietly.  
“This is crazy, you guys are crazy.” Neil said weakly.  
“How the f*ck could he do this much damage? He’s just a kid.” Gwen said, now standing against the blockade.  
“Yeah but he was magical.”  
“Guys… if what you’re saying is true, we’re all gonna f*cking die.”  
“Oh god, that’s really dark.” Nurf said.  
“You tried to f*cking witch-hunt him!” Nerris said accusingly.  
“You took my side,” Nurf shot back.  
“Guys it doesn’t matter!” Neil yelled.  
“We’re all gonna die unless we figure out how to stop this.”  
“And I refuse to believe any of this is Harrison’s doing!” Neil added.  
There was that scream again.  
“F*ck…”  
“This isn’t happening…”  
“How do we stop this?” Max asked Nerris.  
“Why are you asking me?!”  
“Because you're a magic nerd, and hung around him all the time.”  
“Uh… well I don’t know much about his type of magic.  
“Oh! What if it's his ghost? ``suggested Nikki.  
“What?” They all asked looking at her.  
“Well QuarterMaster said that a witch was here once and cursed the land. So what if Harrison’s ghost is somehow still here?”  
“But he wasn’t killed here” Nerris said.  
“Yeah… but I saw this one movie where ghosts remain where they liked it the most In life.”  
“I mean… it’s not any more crazy than what you already said.” Gwen said.  
“Exactly!”  
“Why the f*ck would he even be dead?!” Cried Neil.  
“It all makes sense sadly…”  
“This is kinda f*cking insane.” Said Max.  
“But it makes sense!”  
“So how do we stop it?” Yelled Nurf, punching a zombie through the window.  
“Hmm… don’t people have conversations with ghosts to stop them?” Asked Nikki.  
“You want to have a conversation with him? After he cursed the camp?” Cried Gwen.  
“I mean… It works in movies.”  
“That’s in movies!”  
“Well it’s all we have to go on.”  
Max facepalmed. God they were done for.  
“So...where would the ghost even be at?” Asked Neil.  
“That’s a stupid question, it’s obviously Magic Camp.”  
“You want to go out there, and talk to a ghost?”  
“We’re not all going out obviously.” Nerris said.  
“Then who’s going out?” Asked Nikki.  
“No one! My job is to protect you kids-“  
“And to protect us you must sacrifice one of us to save us all.”  
“Wow, Nerris, you actually sound smart.” Max said.  
“Shut up you ugly dwarf.”  
“So who’s going out?” Dolph asked.  
They all fell quiet and looked at each other.  
“Nurf, Dolph, and Neil are immediately out.” Said Nikki.  
“I wasn’t mean” Dolph said defensively “I was trying to befriend him.”  
“Nikki is not good with emotions so not her.”  
“Nerris?” Suggested SpaceKid.  
Nerris looked terrified.  
“No...I was a terrible friend.”  
“Max?” Asked Nikki.  
“What? Why me?”  
“I mean, you seemed to calm him down last year.” Nerris said.  
“Yes, and your both from broken homes-“  
“What the f*ck Preston”  
“Just saying…”  
“Well pick already, I don’t know how much longer we can last.” Gwen said, irritable and tired.  
They all stared at Max.  
“You guys are crazy.”  
“this entire situation is crazy!” Neil cried.  
“Fine, I’ll go out there. But if I die, I'm coming back to destroy all of you.” 

This is f*cking insane, how do they expect me to fix this? Max thought as he made his way to the only camp still standing. It hadn’t been used at all this summer. The stage stood empty, and there was an eerie feeling surrounding it. Max stood before the old dusty stage. The stage lights were dark, and most likely dead.  
“Alright Harrison, you can come out now!” Max called out. The wind was howling, and there was another clap of thunder.  
“Seriously, you need to stop this”  
“Why are you here?” Max jumped slightly at the sound. It was Harrison alright, he hadn’t met many people with that accent. His voice was echoey, and loud.  
“I came to talk to you” Max said, trying to keep his cool.  
“Why?”  
“Because your destroying the f*cking camp, everyone all barricaded in the councilors cabin.”  
“But why are you here? You don’t even like camp,”  
“That’s not true! I mean… I could think of many different ways to spend my summer but- look you just need to stop.”  
And suddenly, Harrison appeared, or at least his ghost.  
He appeared in his usual attire, of black vest and top hat and gloves. He was a green glowing see through figure.  
They actually killed him, f*ck….  
“Look if you could just stop this all-“  
“No! Everyone has to pay!”  
“Why?”  
“Because none of you cared. And I’m not going to stop,” the last part whispered directly in Max’s ear. “And you can’t make me.”  
The ground then began to shake. Max fell back slightly. Oh god this was bad.  
“Look we can work this out-“ Max began to say, before he was drowned out by a crack of thunder. Max was then surrounded by fire.  
“Look I’m not in the mood for any of this sh*t. Just stop!”  
“I’m not going to stop, because everyone has to pay!”  
“Why?! What have any of us done to you?”  
Harrison then appeared in the fire.  
“You all laughed at me and treated me like a freak!”  
“Not all of us…”  
“It doesn’t matter anymore! Because none of you cared enough to help me.”  
The fire disappeared. Now Harrison was on fire.  
“We didn’t even know what was going on! We just thought you ditched us!”  
“None of you cared! None of you ever did! You forced me to go home ....”  
“Harrison…”  
“But did you go home, Max? No! You got to go live with David! You weren’t put on trial by your parents and hung!” If a ghost could cry, Harrison would be right now.  
“I’m sorry… we didn’t know!”  
“Even after you knew everything?”  
“Stop-“  
“NO! It’s not fair!” Harrison was getting more upset by the minute. It was if the ghost was glitching out, disappearing and reappearing. His face was also changing.  
“Please stop- your hurting people!”  
“So what! Why should I care? All people have ever done was hurt me and treat me like a monster.”  
“But-“  
The ground began to shake, and suddenly the earth split open. Max fell, barely catching in the ledge.  
“Harrison please! F*cking stop!”  
“You’re a rotten person Max, you don’t care for anyone but yourself!”  
“Your only saying that because of your parents-“  
“My parents? They weren’t my parents, as far as I’m concerned I never had parents!”  
“But what about the good people?”  
“Good people? Like who?”  
“Well I mean, just because your parents and everyone hurt you-“  
“My parents f*cking killed me! And no one cared!”  
“But there are good people! There must be someone you still care about.”  
Max was barely hanging in the ledge now, there was just a gaping black hole below him. He’d die if he fell.  
“What about Nikki- or-“  
“My brother….”  
Max was suddenly standing on the ground again. There was no fire, and the storm had calmed down.  
“Your brother? I didn’t know you had a brother” Ok, the hard part was done. Mostly.  
“What’s name?” Max asked, trying to cal, Harrison down.  
“Henry… his name is Henry.”  
“What happened to him?”  
Harrison sunk down onto the stage, looking very sad. 

And suddenly they were in a backyard. And Harrison seemed alive again. Max knew it wasn’t real.  
“He… I accidentally made him disappear… I haven’t seen him in so long.”  
“I’m sorry,” Max said. And he meant it. Harrison had been ridiculed his whole life because of things he couldn’t control. And now he had been killed without reason.  
“I didn’t mean to! I just wanted to do a special trick...to make him happy.”  
“You care about him a lot don’t you?”  
Harrison nodded sullenly, tears in his eyes.  
“He’s the only person who never stopped believing in me. No matter what my parents, or the church said…”  
“I’m so sorry.”  
“He… he loved my magic shows, he was always my assistant. We would sneak out here when my parents weren’t home… they didn’t allow me out much…”  
He then covered his face with his gloves, sobbing.  
“I just wanted to bring him back…”  
“It sucks you had to go through that.”  
“I never wanted to hurt him… I didn’t want to hurt anyone…”  
“You were just mad and scared. Sometimes people do things they don’t mean when they’re scared.”  
“They killed me…”  
“You didn’t deserve that. They were just scared.”  
Harrison took his hands away from his eyes, which were now red.  
“I… I didn’t have any control…”  
“It’s okay, at least it’s over now.”  
“I want to go home…”  
“What?”  
“I mean...I… want my brother back…”  
Harrison looked at him, still crying.  
“I...Harrison...I’m sorry, I don’t think he’s ever coming back.”  
Max then sat down against a tree. It was almost over.  
“I’m sure he’s fine wherever he is.” Max said.  
“There’s no way to bring him back now…”  
“I’m sorry…”  
Harrison then sat down against the tree next to Max and hugged his knees to him.  
“I don’t want to go.”  
“Harrison, we can’t change things…”  
“I’m scared.”  
“You shouldn’t be. It’s all over now, you can finally rest.”  
The magician blinked as if sleepy. He leaned his head back against the tree and closed his eyes.  
“Max?”  
“Hm?”  
“If...if Henry ever does somehow come back...please tell him I love him.”  
“I will.” Max said. And he meant it.  
Max watched as Harrison started to disappear, as if the wind was taking him.  
And then he was gone. And Max was left sitting alone on the forever empty stage. The storm was over, the zombies were gone, and the fires were out.  
Harrison, for the most part, could finally rest.

“Max!” Cried David as he ran over. Max had no idea how long he had been sitting on the stage.  
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” David Asked frantically.  
“Get the f*ck away! I’m fine.”  
“Thank god...what happened?”  
“Max?” Nikki asked running up.  
“You stopped it, how?” Nerris Asked.  
“The motherf*ckers killed him…”  
“Oh…”  
There was silence. Harrison was dead. And had been dead for who knows how long. Nikki then broke down crying, and so did Nerris. No one slept that night. Camp activities were canceled for the next few days, and a funeral was held. David and Gwen called up the cops and told them what Harrison's parents had done. The cops called days later reporting they found his body in the woods. His parents were later thrown in prison. Things would never be the same at camp. Sure none of them had been the best friends to Harrison. But they would miss him.  
Henry was eventually found wandering in the woods, and David offered to take him in.  
Now Harrison could finally rest, because at long last, his brother was finally home.


End file.
